Find out how popular the last name Brawner is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Brawner.

Brawner, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Brawner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Brawner in America

Brawner is the 7247th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Brawner surname appeared 4,601 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Brawner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Brawner to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Brawner

The surname Brawner is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded roots dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Germanic word "braun," meaning "brown," which may have been a reference to a person's physical appearance or perhaps a description of their occupation, such as a tanner or dyer.

One of the earliest known references to the Brawner name can be found in the records of the town of Braunau am Inn, located in Upper Austria. In these records, the name is spelled "Brauner," which is a common variation of the modern spelling. It is likely that some of the earliest bearers of this surname were from this region or had ancestors who hailed from there.

In the 17th century, the Brawner name began to spread across Europe, with records indicating families bearing this surname in various parts of Germany, as well as in neighboring countries like Switzerland and France. One notable individual from this period was Johann Brawner, a German clockmaker who lived in the late 1600s and was renowned for his intricate and innovative timepieces.

As the centuries passed, the Brawner surname continued to disperse, with some families emigrating to the New World in search of new opportunities. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America dates back to the late 18th century, when a man named Jacob Brawner settled in Pennsylvania.

In the 19th century, the Brawner name gained prominence in the American South, particularly in the states of Virginia and North Carolina. One notable figure from this era was William Brawner, a Virginia farmer and landowner who lived from 1786 to 1862. Another prominent individual was James Brawner, a North Carolina politician who served in the state legislature in the mid-1800s.

As the 20th century dawned, the Brawner name continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life. One notable example is Richard Brawner, an American author and historian who was born in 1929 and wrote extensively on the history of the American South.

Throughout its long and storied history, the Brawner surname has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, ranging from artisans and tradesmen to politicians and intellectuals. While its origins may be rooted in medieval Germany, the name has since spread across the globe, leaving an indelible mark on the cultures and communities it has touched.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Brawner

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Brawner.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Brawner was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Brawner has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Brawner was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Brawner, please contact us.

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